News
Updates
18.03.24
Do you have an old smartphone that can run Whatsapp?
Then donate it and make a difference!
Whether broken or fully functional and no longer needed, our partner Selfm.aid will breathe new life into your dead phone and incidentally help people on the move. To ensure access to legal advice and important information, Selfm.aid will personally hand over the smartphones to people in need on the island of Samos.
This is how your old mobile phone can still make a difference:
1. Hand in your old smartphone!
In Berlin:
- Zwiebelfisch, Savignyplatz 7
- EWA Women's Centre, Prenzlauer Allee 6
- Kuckuckszwei, Martin-Luther-Str. 42
- Choriner Spätkauf, Choriner Str. 12
or Leipzig:
- Café Rosa, Merseburger Str. 103
- Vary, Eisenbahnstr. 7
- Verschenkekiste, Eisenbahnstr. 109
- Vleischerei, Eisenbahnstr. 128
2. Your smartphone is given to Selfm.aid, all remaining data is deleted and it is repaired if necessary
3. Selfm.aid will give your phone directly to a person in need, enabling them to contact legal aid and access information.
25.01.24
Samos Volunteers
Winter clothing for Samos
Together with our friends from HERMINE e.V. in Würzburg, we were able to collect a total of 23 pallets of winter clothing, backpacks, blankets and buggies in Berlin, Leipzig, Nuremberg and Würzburg between November and January and send them to Samos, Thessaloniki and Kavala at the end of January. 19 of these pallets went to our partners from Samos Volunteers. It was our biggest collection so far. Originally 4000 pieces of clothing were planned, in the end we collected over 9000. Many thanks to all the helping hands and donors!
11.04.24
"don't stop motion"
at Ost-Passage Theater Leipzig
Did you miss the screening of "don't stop motion" at Moviemento Berlin in early March?
On April 13, you'll have another chance.
In the Documentary, Ahmad, Zahra and Muntazar tell and show the story of their journey to Europe.
Through stop-motion and documentary narratives,
the three bring their very personal experiences to life.
The filmmakers themselves are present and invite everybody to a discussion after the screening.
Reserve your Tickets here!
22.01.24
Food and soap for Khora
Food and soap for Khora
So where do our funds go? Here we introduce projects that have been supported by your donations.
Our partner organisation Khora in Athens has a constant need for long-life food and vegetables, hygiene products as well as clothing. In January, we received an urgent call for support so that the organisation's free shop and social kitchen can continue to operate.
That's why we stepped in and were able to provide €2,500 to finance food and hygiene products over the next few months
24.01.24
Northern Lights Aid
Diapers for refugee mothers in Kavala
So where do our funds go? Here we introduce projects that have been supported by your donations.
In the north of the Aegean Sea lies the small town of Kavala. The Northern Lights Aid Community Centre is the only local NGO providing support to people in need.
Project Elpida has already supported Northern Lights Aid with €2,349.23 this year. 11,750 diapers and 650 packs of wet wipes have been purchased with this money. This is enough to change around 2000 babies for a day.
11.03.24
MVI
Medication for Outreach programmes in Athens
So where do our funds go? Here we introduce projects that have been supported by your donations.
The MVI project provides medical assistance throughout the Athens area. Both the clinic in the city centre and the camps outside the city receive medical care from the project. The project also supports addicts and sex workers on the streets of Athens.
1.181,90 € has already been spent on medication this year and up to €2,500 is still available until April to ensure this basic medical care.
20.02.24
Just Action
Bus tickets and colouring books on Samos
So where do our funds go? Here we introduce projects that have been supported by your donations.
New clothes, food and hygiene items are available to people on the move in Samos thanks to the Just Action Free Shop. To keep the shelves well stocked and the shop easily accessible, the Postcode Lottery has already provided €5000 this year to purchase various items and bus tickets.
With funds from the Theresia Zander Foundation, we were able to provide the Free Shop with €4000 to purchase colouring and reading books for children. Finally, we provided €1000 from our own funds to cover the running costs of the shop.
20.02.24
Wave
Support for people in detention pending deportation
So where do our funds go?Here we introduce projects that have been supported by your donations.
Imagine fleeing to Europe at the risk of your life and ending up on the streets without papers or in detention pending deportation. Unfortunately, this is what happens to many people on the move who arrive in Greece. To ensure that these people receive a minimum level of care, the 'Wave' project provides daily hot meals to undocumented and homeless people in Thessaloniki.
To support people in detention pending deportation, Wave prepares 'prison kits' containing food, toiletries and clothing. In the first two months of this year, with your help, parcels worth €3500 have already been packed and distributed.
01.02.24
Mazi Housing Project
Rent for a housing project in Athens
So where do our funds go? Here we introduce projects that have been supported by your donations. We start with the Mazi Housing Project in Athens. Mazi provides a roof over the heads of 23 young men who have fled their homes.
To make sure they keep that roof, we have transferred a donation of €5,000 in collaboration with the German Postcode Lottery to Mazi. This money will cover the cost of an apartment for 6 months. Rent, electricity and internet connection will be secured until the summer.
17.01.24
Launch of the Samos Campaign 2024!
Forced to make the perilous journey across the Aegean Sea, many of the small rubber dinghies and wooden boats carrying people in search of asylum end up on the equally small island of Samos. To care for these people, the Greek government opened a Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) in 2021, creating a prime example of how asylum seekers are treated at Europe's external borders.
With restricted access, razor wire, isolation and surveillance systems, the operators are preventing the creation of a livable environment for the asylum seekers who are not well looked after. Apparently, the aim is to use deterrence to prevent images like those of the overcrowded Moria camp or the old camp on Samos.
But more than two years later, the new camp is also overcrowded. People are forced to wait for their asylum in degrading conditions, while those lucky enough to be granted asylum are expelled from the camp without the possibility of leaving the island.
Your donation can make a difference!
From food and hygiene items to legal support and informal education programmes, your donation will help to make a material difference to the lives of the people of Samos.
All donations go to our partner organisations
17.02.24
Film screening - Don't stop motion
The next Project ELPIDA event is scheduled for
March 6, 2024.
At the Moviemento cinema in Berlin Kreuzberg, we will be showing the documentary "Don't stop motion" followed by a film discussion. The film is written and produced by the "Filminitiative don't stop motion" from Erfurt.
Films manage to connect people across time, space and borders and thus break down prejudices. In the "don't stop motion" film project, Ahmad, Zahra and Muntazar tell how they left their homeland for a better life and what awaited them in Europe. The special feature: they themselves brought their experiences to the screen using specially made puppets, cardboard and the stop-motion technique.
On 6.3.2024 at 18:30 you will have the opportunity to see this special film and after the screening there will be the opportunity to talk to members of the "Film initiative don't stop motion" in the cinema hall
Tickets can be purchased at this link: https://www.kinoheld.de/kino/berlin/moviemento-kino/vorstellung/2960230802 ,
all proceeds from ticket sales will go to the projects Project ELPIDA e.V. and "Filminitiative don't stop motion".
31.01.24
Hand in Hand - 03.02.
13:00 at the Bundestag, Berlin
We need to act in solidarity and we need to act now!
Together with more than 1300 organizations we at Project ELPIDA have signed the call for #WirSindDieBrandmauer and stand in solidarity with refugees, people on the move and everybody in our common effort for an open, democratic and pluralistic society.
All over Europe we watched the political landscape shift to the right for years and the first to suffer are always people forced to the edges of society.
Having pledged to support people on those very edges, especially people on the move in Greece, we join the millions of people demonstrating right now against all forms of right-wing politics.
Stand with us!
This Saturday at 13:00 at the Bundestag in Berlin.
19.01.24
Half Marathon 2024
The half marathon in Berlin is one of the most
famous running events in Berlin. Last year in 2023, 34,458 runners took part and ran through Berlin's city centre.
Project ELPIDA is also taking part this year.
A team of 45 members and friends of the organisation are running for a good cause and collecting donations that will then go directly to our projects on Samos.
We need your support to reach our fundraising
target of 8,848€ (equivalent to the height of Mount Everest). Donate, share this project and help us spread a little hope. We are running for ELPIDA!
30.11.23
Northern Greece Campaign 2023
The third and final fundraising campaign of the year is now behind us. Shortly before Christmas, we travelled with our team to northern Greece, specifically to Thessaloniki and Kavala, to meet with our partner organisations, exchange ideas and shop for them in local shops.
Over the course of our seven-day stay, we were able to support our five partner organisations in Athens and Kavala with more than €13,000.
THANK YOU for your support, we could never have done it without you. You will find a detailed campaign report here shortly...
01.12.23
Exhibition
„They took away our voice”
Our long-awaited vernissage for the exhibition "they took away our voice" took place yesterday at Hangar1 in Hangar 4 at Tempelhofer Feld.
More than 150 invited guests had the first opportunity to see the exhibition, which portrays the real lives of a group of young women, up close.
The pictures were taken as part of a photography workshop at Camp Diavata near Thessaloniki.
It was a special honour for us to welcome some of the artists in person and thus gain a personal perspective on the story behind their work.
The exhibition is open to the public until 14 December, Tuesdays to Fridays from 2pm to 10pm and Saturdays from 11am to 10pm. For a detailed review of the exhibition, we recommend the article from the taz of 6 December.
22.11.23
We have been awarded!
Yay! We are very happy.
Project Elpida receives the "We for tomorrow" award As part of Union Investment's #Charity initiative, we made it onto the winners' podium out of more than 230 applications and were chosen as the "Wir für morgen" (We for tomorrow) winning project in the social category. With this award, the fund management company of the Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken honours non-profit associations that campaign for social justice, more equal opportunities and better environmental awareness with a total of 250,000 euros.
At the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, we were able to experience a fantastic and heartfelt awards ceremony. We would like to thank Union Investment and the jury members Hans Joachim Reinke, Neven Subotic, Natalya Nepomnyashcha and Hannes Jaenicke for recognising and supporting our work. With the grant of 17,500 euros, we will be able to further expand our commitment to refugees in Greece.
Congratulations also to the other outstanding "Wir für morgen" winning projects!
19.11.23
Exhibition
„They took away our voice” – 01.12.- 16.23.
From 1.12.-16.12.2023 Project Elpida has the honor in cooperation with Circolo Fotografico Palmarino and
the Municipale Palmanova to exhibit the exhibition "they took away our voice" at HANGAR1 in Hangar 4 at Tempelhof Airport.
The exhibition "They took away our voice" was created as part of a photography project for women and girls at the Diaviata camp in Thessaloniki. The photographers give the viewers the opportunity to see the world
through their eyes and thus an impressive insight into the lives of the young women. In 2021, the exhibition entitled "Our Journey" was honored with the Global Peace Photo Award.
We are delighted to be able to present the exhibition, thanks to the help of our great partners during the exhibition. Special thanks goes to Hangar 1, Raven Art Department, Circolo Fotografico Palmarino, the Municipality of Palmanova and Mattia Bidoli.
We are excited about bringing this exhibition to Berlin and to welcome you in December at Hangar 4!
SPREAD THE WORD
Admission to the exhibition is on a donation basis.
We are open:
Mon.-Fri. from 14-22 o'clock
Sat. from 11-22 o'clock
15.10.23
Flea market 22.10.2023
It's that time again, we as Project Elpida will organize a flea market stall. This time we can be found at the Flea market on Maybachufer on October 22nd, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
There will once again be many special things to find at the Project Elpida stand. Everyone come along, see what we have, find out more about our work and feel free to talk to us. We look forward to seeing you.
LAUNCH OF THE NORTHERN GREECE CAMPAIGN 2023
Today we launch our Northern Greece Campaign 2023! Pushbacks, detention and criminalisation are experienced by refugees in this region every day, the Evros border region has become a scene of daily crime by Greek border patrols. Our partner organisations in Thessaloniki and Kavala try to advocate every day for those who have made it to Greece.
They oppose the repressive policy of the Greek government with food, language offers or legal advice and we want to support them in this. Over the next two months we will be collecting donations for our partners Northern Lights Aid, Wave and Equal Legal Aid. Take a look at their websites and help us spread a little Elpida.
ALBUM RELEASE "ELPIDA"
Now we can finally announce it: Our friends from Curieux Dilettanti have released their first album and you can pre-order it now. The name of the album: ELPIDA! And the best thing about it:
All proceeds will go to Project ELPIDA.
On 14.10. the release party will take place at Disco Zwei in Mannheim. We are happy that Curieux Dilettanti invited us to present the situation in Greece and our work there. The album is available in digital version and as a cassette.
You can pre-order it here
Join our collective charity effort #mykiezcares with 'Wir Packens An,' 'Leave No One Behind,' and 'ROSA-Rolling Safe Space.'
On 17 September 2023, we were able to finally organize the collection of clothing donation for refugees in Greece at Kuckuckszwei in Schöneberg as part of the Berlin-wide #MyKiezCares donation tour. Thanks to your help, we were able to collect over 30 bags and boxes with clothes and shoes. We were also able to collect various amounts of hygiene items and even two boxes of sanitary towels.
We would like to thank all those who participated, donated, sorted and spent their Sunday with us. Our partner organisations Wir Packens An, LeaveNoOneBehind and Rosa Rolling Safespace were able to collect donations all over Berlin.
Half Marathon Project Elpida e.V.
Would you like to run a Berlin Half Marathon and make a positive impact at the same time? Well, you can do just that on April 7, 2024, by joining forces with Project Elpida. We're launching an Elpida Running Team and eagerly anticipate raising donations for a meaningful cause alongside you.
The next steps to take are:
- Express your interest by e-mail by September 30, 2023.
- Transfer the participation fee of €96 to Project Elpida e.V. by October 15, 2023.
- Start fundraising by January 31, 2024 (we will provide support).
- Train, train, and train some more.
- Participate in the Berlin Half Marathon for Project Elpida on April 8, 2024.
Get in touch with us, and let's train together. Let's get started and run for ELPIDA!
Donation stand at Sing dela Sing
Sing dela Sing has become an institution. Young and old come together here to sing with each other. After we had the pleasure of being there twice in July, Sing dela Sing will be giving four more concerts in Leipzig and Berlin in September, on the 4th and 5th at Werk 2 in Leipzig and on the 7th and 25th at Heimathafen Neukölln in Berlin.
Tickets can be found here.
Once again, we will be present with our information stands. There you will find flyers, stickers and merchandise from us, but also our annual reports and you can sign up for our newsletter. We are looking forward to the evenings, come by and talk to us if you see us!
Footballshoes for Cheerin
At the beginning of August, we were again able to sort football shoes for our partner organisation Cheerin in Athens.
This was made possible by our partner organisation Wir Packens an and Charity Cat, through whom we received these shoes.
We went with a small team to the warehouse of Wir Packens An in the afternoon.
and sorted together with members of
Wir Packens An football shoes and stacked the boxes on pallets. A total of ten boxes with
shoes, jerseys, trousers and other football materials were packed and shipped directly the following week.
Once again, a big thank you goes to Wir Packens An and Charity Cat.
Petition: "No to a Europe of detention and refugee camps".
For weeks and months we have been demonstrating against the implementation of the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), which is supposed to ensure that people from countries with a low recognition rate of their asylum application are to be locked up under "detention-like conditions" at the external borders. In addition, people with rejected applications should also be able to be deported to "safe" third countries, even if this is not their home country.
We do not want to accept this undermining of European asylum law. You too can fight back. Sign the PRO ASYL petition and write to your MEP. It is not too late!
Funding through the Postcode Lottery
For a long time now, it has been a concern of ours to find additional support opportunities alongside our fundraising campaigns that can help our partner organisations on the ground reach even more people.
Now we are very happy to announce that we have received a grant of €15,000 from the German Postcode Lottery! This is a huge step for us and our partner organisations.
We would like to thank Deutsche Postcode-Lotterie very much for their trust.
In the coming weeks and months, we will work with our partner organisations to ensure that all donations reach their intended destination. We will be able to buy food, legal advice and hygiene products, among other things.
Movie Screening:
"Long Distance Swimmer - Sara Mardini"
On 20.06.23, the international World Refugee Day, we presented the documentary "Sara Mardini - Against the Current" in cooperation with the Yorck cinema group.
The story of the former refugee activist illustrates the extent to which civil society engagement is prevented and criminalised in the EU.
A total of 500 people came that evening. Before the film, there was a talk with the Sea Watch activist Rachel and the refugee policy spokesperson of PRO ASYL, Tareq Alaows.
The whole film can now also be found on Youtube.
Solidarity Flea Market
On Sunday, 18 June, we were present for the first time
in Berlin with our stand at a flea market. More precisely, at the flea market on the RAW grounds. There we sold all kinds of second-hand stuff, books, records,
accessories etc., but also our soli shirts.
We also had something very special with us:
Our partner organisation Glocal Roots is producing their own fanny packs in their safe space in Athens. Sewn by refugee women, each bag is unique.
The inside of the bag also contains the story of the women.
All proceeds go directly to their safe space in Athens.
A special fun for all the little visitors was our wheel of fortune, where you could win many great prizes for a donation and support our projects at the same time.
Summer Clothes for Just Action on Samos
In addition to our current donation campaign in Athens, we collected donations for our partner organization, Just Action, on Samos in May 2023.
Following the call from our partners from Samos we collected at Café Bubu, Café Rosa, StuRa HTWK, Verschenkekiste and Café NuR in Leipzig, as well as Kuckuckszwei in Berlin.
Many thanks to all you! With your help we were able to send a total of 8 boxes with T-Shirts, shorts and dresses to the Free Shop of Just Action.
Launch Athens Campaign 2023
After working with several partner organisations in
Athens for the first time last year, we are now launching our second fundraising campaign in the Greek capital.
Over the last 12 months, government aid services there, such as the ESTIA programme that provided housing for refugees, have been closed. At the same time, Eleona's camp, the only camp in the city, was also evicted. For refugees in the city, this means either homelessness or living in remote camps outside Athens.
All these reasons have moved us to work again with four different partner organisations in Athens.
We already supported the Mazi Housing Project last year.
They provide accommodation for 23 refugee men, provide them with tickets for public transport and organise medical appointments. Last year, we were already able to support them with detergentand cleaning materials for a whole year. We now want to repeat this.
We have also already worked with Khora in 2022. In their Social Kitchen they cook 400 hot meals a day and in their Free Shop people in need can choose hygiene products and clothes.
Medical Volunteers International is one of two new partner organisations in this campaign. They provide medical care both through street work and in their small clinic in central Athens.
Glocal Roots has opened a safe space for women in Athens. There they offer a retreat where women can engage in a variety of activities while childcare is also available.
We will introduce you to all these partner organisations in the coming days and weeks. In order for this campaign to be successful and for us to play a part in continuing to provide much needed help, we need you. Every donation helps, tell your parents, friends, acquaintances and everyone you meet about us.
Together we are stronger!
Clothing donations for Samos Volunteers
This year prior to our Samos campaign in 2023
we collected shoes, scarves, hats, and gloves in response to a request from our partner organization Samos Volunteers.
All of these clothes and shoes went directly to Samos Volunteers' Free Shop, where regular clothing distributions
take place. In total, we could support Samos Volunteers with
three bags of shoes weighing 20 kilograms each and six packages of gloves, hats, and scarves.
Thank you for your support, and we look forward to many more collection campaigns with you!
Football Shoes Donation for Cheerin Greece
On February 16, 2023, with the tremendous support of our
partner organization Wir Packens An e.V., we sorted and
shipped football shoes from their warehouse in Biesenthal.
Thanks to a generous donation of numerous Puma brand football cleats from Charity Cat e.V. we were able to send a total of 11 parcels containing shoes, jerseys, socks, sports bags and
gloves to our partner organization Cheerin Greece in Athens.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to
Wir Packens An e.V. and Charity Cat e.V.
for their tremendous support.